5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
compassion is the key, March 6, 2004
This review is from: Cultivating Compassion: A Buddhist Prespective (Paperback)
Buddhists keep talking about compassion, but what is it? Jeffrey Hopkins, who spent 10 years as chief interpreter to the Dalai Lama, spills the beans in this helpful introductory guide to Tibetan Buddhism. 'Compassion,' he says, 'is the heartfelt wish that sentient beings be free from suffering and the causes of suffering.' That means all sentient beings -- one's friends, one's enemies, and those neutral people one passes daily without really even noticing. The book outlines a series of meditations for developing compassion and equanimity, but even if you have a different meditation practice and merely read through the meditations, the book is wise, generous, and helpful. The introductory chapter on the mechanics of meditation alone was very valuable, giving instruction not only on how to sit, but also on the weird little questions like how to hold the head and teeth, and what to do with the eyes and breath. This book will be a blessing to you no matter what tradition you follow. When you begin to cherish everyone and sincerely wish that they be free from suffering, you are finding the heart of compassion.
P.S. "Joy is the opposite of jealousy."
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